Yep it sucks and a really bad break BUT...it was the absolutely the correct call. It was great to see umps explain the call in a press conference. As a player and umpire myself (slo pitch here in Canada) I have seen this call made, also have had to make it a couple of times.. And yes it is a little bit of a judgement call.....

Intent is NOT required, actually physical contact is also NOT required either... All that is required is for a fielder that is not playing the ball (playing the ball is: fielding it, receiving a throw or making a throw) to obstruct a base runner's path as they attempt advance to the next base. This part is very black & white, where judgement comes in...would the baserunner have made it safely to the next base if the obstruction not occurred.

Middlebrook's attempt to get up is a natural reaction in this case BUT again he obstructed Allen's attempt to get home with this action. He didn't intend to obstruct the runner, but he did. The play at the plate is a very close one but definitely out... Would've Allen made it safety if not obstructed....MAYBE. That maybe is all that is needed for the call to be made. Benefit of the doubt MUST fall to the baserunner when there is obstruction.

So the umps got it 100% correct. I realize that is no comfort for a Red Sox fan. As a fan of the game, all we want is the umps to get the calls correct..they did here.

Sadly, I'm old enough to remember that one... In that case, the ump blew the call. Red Sox had every right to complain about that one....

Without going into detail.. In that situation, the fielder (Carlton Fisk) rights are primary..Armbrister interfered with the attempt to field the ball. Again intent is not an issue and contact is not required.... Home plate ump blew that one.

With all the attention on the obstruction call, what's getting lost in the noise is the fact that Saltalamacchia made an ill-advised throw to try to get Craig (who was clearly going to be safe at third anyways), and he threw the ball away. It's what we tell our Little League kids all the time ("DON'T THROW THE BALL AROUND!!!").

If Craig hadn't tripped over Middlebrooks, he would have clearly been safe at home as the eventual play at the plate was very close even WITH the obstruction.

Ironically, the last World Series game to end on an error was the Buckner game in '86. Karma rears it's ugly ahead again.

Also Bosox fans..how soon you forget. Game 1 of this series....that call at 2nd base!!! Yes it is unusual for a call to be overturned, BUT in the end the call was the correct one. As I said, we want the calls to be made correctly as per the rules.... That 'correct' call went Boston's way...!!!

I also like "he never touched home". Lets face it, if the shoe was on the other foot, every Red Sox fan would be citing Rule 7.06.
Some classic Boston expert on everything comments from a local blog.Obviously that umpire was same referee who made the call at the Patriots game last weekendIronic that both the Sox last night, and Pat's last week, lost to umps/refs enforcing little used rulesOn a regular season game, that play would have never been called - this is twice Jim Joyce has blown the outcome of a game...
The batter should have been called out after Craig interfered with Middlebrooks under Section 7.08(b)"A runner is declared out if (b) He intentionally interferes with a thrown ball; or hinders a fielder attempting to make a play on a batted ball;Rule 7.08(b) Comment: A runner who is adjudged to have hindered a fielder who is attempting to make a play on a batted ball is out whether it was intentional or not.Worst call in history of major league baseballThe ump was in favor of the cardinals. He didn't want the sox winning from the beginningmove on my *** file a protestDef a bad call! Middlebrooks fell cause he got tackled. Where was he supposed to go? Disappear so the guy wouldn't trip on him?? These bad calls always happen to Boston